My snapmaker j1 left extruder has started the dreaded -30C issue. I contacted support, etc, they noticed a kink in a ribbon cable, but they wanted me to try all sorts of useless things before sending me a ribbon cable.
I tried all of those (resistance of temperature probe is 117ohms, fine), spacers, filing, etc. It ain;t that.
But then today I also tried moving the ribbon cable with the printer on. Low and behold, bending the ribbon cable restores the temperature to the ambient. I let it go, back to -30C.
So it IS the ribbon cable. And now the question. This is obviously a manufacturing defect, it broke with normal use in just 6-7 weeks of light use. I fully expect a replacement from them. But I also fully expect this to fail again.
1- can one BUY replacement ribbon cables of better quaiity?
2- can one BUY direct replacements from Snapmaker? So I have spares when this fails again? Cause it’s when, not if.
3. Is Snapmaker going to do anything about this? As in issue a recall and send people BETTER ribbon cables, with a profound apology and a partial refund?
We were all excited about this printer, and it has a glaring and obvious defect.
I had a warranty case on temperature probe on my SJ1. Snapmaker service was very good, I got free replacement in a week or so and it has been shipped with reliable parcel service. They have fixed also customs clearance costs. So just place a warranty claim!
As to the very ribbon cables used on SJ1 I do not find them somehow of very poor quality. Kink in cable is dangerous and sooner or later will lead to broken conductor. This is solely on Snapmaker side - even this has been a cable production fault, such a cable should not be assembled into machine as such a damage is clearly visible! If this has been good cable from supplier but damaged during assembly process - not honorable to Snapmaker too! My problem with damaged temperature probe was also an assembly damage so there are things around assembly craftmanship and responsibility for them to address in production for sure.
Apart from this use of ribbon cable in particular place is technically rather sound choice as bend radius is still way larger than thickness of a cable conductor so no large stresses are introduced during bending the cable. So having the one replaced for you I would guess it has not to be part failing the most in future.
I did, using their customer service email. Is there another avenue?
But this happened only after a few weeks of use and if they send me the same cable, it’ll happen again, why would an identical one last longer? And who pays for the work of replacing these? Am I suppose to provide free labor for an obvious manufacturer defect? I’m sorry, what they should do is send me another printer with BETTER cables, and return postage for this one.
I have used the same customer service email with success. Maybe they are way more occupied now?..
Did kink in ribbon cable appear after few weeks of use? Was it not there from the beginning?
I did not look at the cable in the beginning so I cannot answer that question. I noticed the kinks when I started having failed prints because of temperature errors. I see two kinks and bending either one results in temperature errors. And that was after two weeks of use.
I had a long email thread with customer service and now confirmed that the ribbon cable is the culprit and even sent them the video proof. I have not received a response since I narrowed it down to the ribbon cable.
Alin
It has to be bad luck to damage ribbon cable that way during printing - I would suppose lousy job at factory so you need to get warranty replacement.
I hope you will sort out with Snapmaker customer service soon!
There are many different ribbon cables, also high grade ones, out there but not every of them could be used in particular application as it has to be self supporting with some springy action not to be too floppy. So better is to have the same make but a good one.
I’m pretty sure most ribbon cables of this size are self supporting. I just wish Snapmaker made these available for sale as well. One could take one out and get the specs as well I suppose, there’s nothing magical about these.
Alin